Kidney Week

Abstract: SA-OR06

Immune Monitoring of Kidney Transplant Recipients After SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccination

Session Information

• COVID-19 and Kidney Diseases: From Bedside to Bench
  November 06, 2021 | Location: Simulive, Virtual Only
  Abstract Time: 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM

Category: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

• 000 Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Authors

• Al Jurdi, Ayman, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Ayman Al Jurdi, MD

• Benedetti Gassen, Rodrigo, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Rodrigo Benedetti Gassen,

• Borges, Thiago J., Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Thiago J. Borges,

• Hullekes, Frank E., Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Frank E. Hullekes,

• Lape, Isadora T., Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Isadora T. Lape,

• Efe, Orhan, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Orhan Efe,

• Alghamdi, Areej saud a, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Areej saud a Alghamdi,

• Patel, Poojan, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Poojan Patel,

• Choi, John Yongjoon, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

John Yongjoon Choi,

• Solhjou, Zhabiz, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Zhabiz Solhjou,

• Kotton, Camille, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Camille Kotton,

• Azzi, Jamil R., Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Jamil R. Azzi,

• Riella, Leonardo V., Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Leonardo V. Riella,

Background

There is limited data on the safety and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs).

Methods

We conducted a prospective, multi-center study of 58 adult KTRs receiving mRNA-BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccines to assess vaccine safety and efficacy. Primary outcome was biopsy-proven rejection within 3 months of vaccination. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, serum creatinine, proteinuria, donor-derived cell-free DNA (ddcfDNA) levels, and antibody and cellular immunity generation against SARS-CoV-2.

Results

Median age was 62 with 41% females. Median time post-transplantation was 48 months. Only one patient (2%) developed acute cellular rejection though patient had been recently converted to belatacept. There were no severe adverse events or deaths during follow-up. Two patients (3%) developed SARS-CoV-2 infection, one of whom required hospitalization. There was no significant change in serum creatinine, proteinuria or ddcfDNA during the study. Following vaccination, 36%, 25% and 20% of KTRs developed anti-spike, anti-S1 and anti-RBD antibodies. KTRs on mycophenolate-based and steroid-maintenance regimens were less likely to develop an anti-spike antibody response. 100% of KTRs with anti-spike and anti-RBD antibodies had a neutralizing response, compared to 44% in KTRs with anti-spike but without anti-RBD antibodies (RR 2.25, 95% CI 1.08-4.67). There was a significant increase in IFN-gamma spots per 10⁶ PBMCs incubated with S1 peptides following vaccination (p=0.0143).

Conclusion

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in KTRs was safe and associated with the generation of cellular immune response and in a third of patients with anti-spike antibody response. The degree of protection gained by these responses needs to be evaluated in future studies.